Top Locations

See the bottom of the page for an explanation of the numeric columns.

Counties

Census Districts

Demographics

Numbers in brackets are the total recorded in the census. Note that for less common surnames, some of these may well be typos or transcription errors. See below for some more information on occupational titles.

Top male names

  1. William (31)
  2. John (17)
  3. Henry (17)
  4. George (10)
  5. Charles (8)
  6. Robert (7)
  7. Thomas (6)
  8. Joseph (5)
  9. Frank (4)
  10. Alfred (4)
  11. Job (4)
  12. Samuel (3)
  13. Walter (3)
  14. Levi (2)
  15. James (2)
  16. Arthur (2)
  17. Richard (2)
  18. Matthew (1)
  19. Lewis (1)
  20. Ralph (1)
  21. Underhill (1)
  22. Michael (1)
  23. Jos.P. (1)
  24. Cornelis (1)
  25. Cotrell (1)
  26. Cotterell (1)
  27. David (1)
  28. Edwin (1)
  29. Fredk. (1)
  30. Harold (1)
  31. Harry (1)
  32. Herbert (1)
  33. Horace (1)
  34. Isaac (1)
  35. Albert (1)
  36. Wm. (1)

Top female names

  1. Mary (24)
  2. Elizabeth (14)
  3. Sarah (11)
  4. Ann (10)
  5. Hannah (7)
  6. Emma (6)
  7. Jane (5)
  8. Ellen (5)
  9. Charlotte (4)
  10. Lucy (3)
  11. Emily (3)
  12. Annie (3)
  13. Alice (3)
  14. Harriet (2)
  15. Anne (2)
  16. Susan (2)
  17. Frances (2)
  18. Ruth (2)
  19. Rose (2)
  20. Albina (2)
  21. Kate (2)
  22. Maria (1)
  23. Meala (1)
  24. Mercie (1)
  25. Robert (1)
  26. Nancy (1)
  27. Nelly (1)
  28. Phoebe (1)
  29. Rosanna (1)
  30. Rosa (1)
  31. Rachel (1)
  32. Rebecca (1)
  33. Louisa (1)
  34. Leah (1)
  35. Thirza (1)
  36. Bessie (1)
  37. Caroline (1)
  38. Cecile (1)
  39. E.A. (1)
  40. Edith (1)
  41. Eleanor (1)
  42. Eliza (1)
  43. Fanny (1)
  44. G. (1)
  45. Georgiana (1)
  46. Harriett (1)
  47. Hellen (1)
  48. Joise (1)
  49. Julianna (1)
  50. Laura (1)

Top occupations

  1. Scholar (65)
  2. Ag Lab (14)
  3. Farm Labourer (5)
  4. Gloveress (4)
  5. Agricultural Laborer (3)
  6. Agricultural Lab (3)
  7. Farmers Daur (3)
  8. Plough Boy (3)
  9. Domestic Servant (3)
  10. Annuitant (3)
  11. Charwoman (2)
  12. Cook (Dom) (2)
  13. Retired Farmer (2)
  14. General Lab (2)
  15. Housemaid Dom (2)
  16. Dressmaker (2)
  17. Labourer (Ag) (2)
  18. General Labourer (2)
  19. Ag Labourer (2)
  20. Farmers Wife (2)
  21. Field Woman (Ag Lab) (2)
  22. Farmer 130 Acres 4 Men 1 Boy (1)
  23. Engine Smith Wife (1)
  24. Field Worker (Ag Lab) (1)
  25. Farmer 174 Acres Empl 3 Men 2 Boys (1)
  26. Farmer 306 Acres Emp 7 Labs 4 Boys 3 Women (1)
  27. Farmer 350 Acres Employing 8 Men & 3 Boys (1)
  28. Farmer Of (240 Acres Employing 10 Men) (1)
  29. Farmer Of 10 Acres Of Land (1)
  30. Farmer of 223 Acres Employing 7 Men 3 Boys 6 Women (1)
  31. Farmer Of 400 Acres Employing 10 Men 2 Boys 4 Women (1)
  32. Farmer Of 94 Acres Employing 3 Men 1 Boy (1)
  33. Farmer Of 412 Acres Employing 9 Labourers & 3 Boys (1)
  34. Dom Serv House Maid (1)
  35. Ag Labourer Wife (1)
  36. Tailor (1)
  37. Agricultor Labourer (1)
  38. Agricultural Labourer (1)
  39. Agricutural Laborer (1)
  40. Canvas Sewer (1)
  41. Carpenter & Joiner (1)
  42. Chemist & Druggist Apprentice (1)
  43. Coach Builder (1)
  44. Coal Miner (1)
  45. Dom Serv (1)
  46. Agr Labour Carter (1)
  47. Dom Serv Unemployed (1)
  48. Domestic Serv (Nurse) (1)
  49. Domestic Serv Unemp (1)
  50. Domestic Servt (1)

Explanation of numeric columns in the county and district tables

The Total column shows the total number of people in that county or town with this surname. For example, there were 105 people with the surname Coldicott in the county of Gloucestershire in 1881.

The Frequency column shows the percentage of people in this county or town with this surname. For example, 0.02% of the people in Gloucestershire were called Coldicott.

The Index column shows how more or less common a surname is in a particular location compared to the population as a whole. If the index is higher than 1, then you more likely to find a person with this name here than you would in the country as a whole. And if it's less than 1, you are less likely to find someone with this surname here. For example, the Coldicott surname has an index of 18.6 in Gloucestershire, meaning that you are 18.6 times as likely to find a Coldicott here than you would in the population as a whole.

The Total value is an absolute figure which takes no account of the size of the county or town, so it tends to be biased towards larger towns and counties. The Frequency and Index values are relative to the local population, so they give a better idea of where a surname is most concentrated.

A note on occupational titles

Occupational titles are presented exactly as recorded on the census and later transcribed, with no attempt made to unify names that are the same. So, for example, 'Ag Lab' and 'Agricultural Labourer' will apear as separate entries, and so will any misspellings of them.

'Scholar' was the census term for any child in education. Given that families tended to be large, this means that school children, or scholars, are almost always the largest recorded occupational group for any surname. A better idea of what the family breadwinners did for a living will be found in the other job titles.

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